


A Difficult Decision

by Alisanne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 15:11:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10337380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alisanne/pseuds/Alisanne
Summary: Challenge:Written for Draco100's prompt #13: A Difficult Decision.Warning(s)/Genre:Unimaginative title is unimaginative.Beta(s):Sevfan and Emynn.Disclaimer:The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Challenge:** Written for Draco100's prompt #13: A Difficult Decision. 
> 
> **Warning(s)/Genre:** Unimaginative title is unimaginative. 
> 
> **Beta(s):** Sevfan and Emynn. 
> 
> **Disclaimer:** The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.

~

A Difficult Decision

~

When the portal appears and Narcissa, older than he’s ever seen her, emerges, Draco can only blink. “Mother?” 

She tells him things she shouldn’t, things about their future, and since she retains her shape for hours without eating or drinking, Draco’s assured it’s her. 

“Will you do as I’ve instructed?” she finally asks.

It’s not a difficult decision. Draco nods. “I’ll make friends with Potter. But why?” 

“Because the Dark Lord’s returning. This time, I want you on the right side.” 

“But, Mummy,” Draco whispers, reverting to childhood, “what if Potter loses?” 

“He won’t.” Narcissa cups Draco’s cheek. “Trust me.” 

~

Draco’s careful when he returns to Hogwarts. He picks no fights, makes no snide remarks, and when the Goblet of Fire spits out Potter’s name, he defends him, refusing to join his housemates in their jeers. 

When Potter and Weasley fight, Draco watches, and when Potter battles the dragon, Draco cheers for him, ignoring his housemates who, reluctantly, join him. Afterwards, he makes a point to congratulate Potter on his win. 

Potter looks confused, but he does thank him, and Draco leaves the encounter feeling cheered. 

And then comes the Yule Ball, and Draco has a difficult decision to make. 

~

“It’s not a difficult decision, Draco! You either want to go the Yule Ball with me or you don’t.”

Draco, eyes on his parchment, sighs. “I don’t care either way, Pansy. The bloody thing’s just a nuisance, an excuse for the _champions_ to lord it over the rest of us.” 

“Is that a yes?” Pansy asks.

Draco shrugs.

“You’re impossible,” she hisses.“If you’re not careful, you’ll end up not having a date.” 

Once she’s stormed off, Draco’s eyes stray towards the group at a distant table. Potter, hair shining, is laughing. 

Sighing, Draco looks away. Some wishes aren’t possible. 

~

“…dates, mate,” Weasley says. “I hear the good ones are almost gone.” 

Draco, walking past them, lingers to eavesdrop. 

“But they travel in packs!” Potter whinges. “It makes things…difficult.” 

Weasley sighs. “You think I should ask Hermione?” 

Draco rolls his eyes. Anyone with half a brain can see those two are mad for each other. “You mean you haven’t yet?” He hums. 

Weasley, predictably, goes red. “What are you on about, Malfoy?” 

Draco shrugs. “Blaise fancies her, and since they’re both in Advanced Arthimancy—”

Growling, Weasley takes off. 

Potter stares at Draco. Then, unexpectedly, he smiles. “Well done, Malfoy.” 

~

Later, Draco hears Weasley propositioned Granger in the Great Hall, creating a spectacle. By supper, the two are inseparable, heads together, oblivious the world. 

Potter, meanwhile, seems to vacillate between looking indulgent and alarmed as he watches them. 

Blaise, as it turns out, asks Longbottom, and Pansy, evidently trying to punish Draco, asks Theo, smirking triumphantly at Draco from across the Slytherin table. 

Draco, irritated, leaves supper early to study, and when someone sits down across from him, he’s annoyed. “Sod off, Pansy,” he says without looking up, “this is difficult enough without you—”

“Malfoy,” Potter interrupts. “I’m not Parkinson.”

~

Draco blinks. “What are you doing?” 

Potter grins. “Right now? Talking to you.” 

Snorting, Draco closes his book. “What I mean is, why?” 

“I wanted to ask you—” Potter chews his bottom lip. 

“Just spit it out, Potter. It can’t be that difficult.” 

Potter exhales. “Would you like to go to the Ball with me?” 

Draco’s mouth drops open. “What?”

“Would you like to—”

Draco holds up a hand. “I heard you. Why?” 

“Why not?” Potter smiles. “That was a nice thing you did for Ron. This year I’ve seen a new side of you. I’d like to see…more.” 

~

“Potter?” Pansy shrieks when she finds out. “Wait, you’re gay?” 

Blaise rolls his eyes. “Please, Pansy. Draco’s fancied Potter since we started school.” 

“I’m not _gay_.”

Pansy sighs. “Yes you are. Damn.” 

“What I want to know is how you talked him into agreeing,” Blaise says, ignoring her. 

Draco huffs. “Actually, he asked me. And I almost said no.” 

“Why?” Blaise shakes his head. “I’d think that would be the least difficult decision you’ve ever made.” 

“It’s not…traditional,” Draco mumbles.

Pansy snorts. “Since when have you ever been traditional?” 

“She has a point,” says Blaise.

Draco sighs. She does. 

~

Draco ensures he looks amazing for the Ball, and when Potter gapes upon seeing him the first time, Draco mentally smirks. 

“Wow,” says Potter, offering his arm. “You look…”

Draco hums. “Thanks.” 

They enter the Great Hall, and as they dance, Draco watches their reflection in the windows. They’re a matched set. One fair, one dark, both handsome. 

Potter walks Draco back to the dungeons afterwards, past the snogging couples.

When they arrive, Potter shakes Draco’s hand. “That was fun.”

“Yes.”

Potter smiles. “See you later, Malfoy.”

It’s the most a difficult decision of Draco’s life not to kiss him. 

~

They begin studying together, and Draco’s…happy. Pansy mocks him and Blaise makes surreptitious kissing noises whenever he walks by, but Draco doesn’t care. 

One evening he’s summoned to McGonagall’s office. Suspicious, he goes nonetheless, it’s not a difficult decision.

“Relax, Mr Malfoy,” she says, and before he knows it, he’s frozen in some sort of stasis, suspended under water. The next few hours pass in a blur until Potter, looking worried, swims up to him, freeing him. The next thing Draco knows, he’s on the dock, drenched. 

“All right?” Potter asks, leaning over him.

Reaching up, Draco kisses him. 

~

Years of difficult decisions follow, but through it all, Draco heeds his mother’s advice.

When Harry defeats Voldemort, Draco kisses him triumphantly.

“They’re snogging,” Ron says. “Again.”

Hermione chuckles. “You’re surprised?” 

Ron sighs.

Draco smirks at them. “You two should try it sometime.” 

Harry laughs. “Get used to it.” He stares into Draco’s eyes. “We plan to do it a lot.” 

Later, recovering in the Great Hall, Draco leans against Harry. “Ever wonder how things would’ve turned out if we hadn’t got together?”

“Nope.” Harry squeezes his hand. “We were meant to be.”

Draco smiles. He can live with that.

~


End file.
